Thursday, February 19, 2009

Everyone yearns for great skin, and those of us who do have great skin- want to maintain it. I get a few compliments on my skin but let me tell you, I do have pimples that come outta nowhere at times and it's not easy maintaining nice skin!

I was browsing through Sephora a few months ago and came across the Clarisonic Facial Brush and was interested in trying it until I almost fell outta my chair when I saw the price! $195!

Clarisonic Brush:

Now don't get me wrong, if it was a little miracle in a bottle and did wonders for my skin, I eventually would cough up that much for it- however, with tough economic times and the fact that the BF and I are getting our own place, $195 isn't in our budget. So what is a girl to do??? I did my research!

I read a few reviews on it from makeup alley in which it was highly praised and just as good as the Clarisonic brush (mind you I have NOT TRIED the Clarisonic Brush so I can only speak for the Pretika brush), and that it prevents the amount of breakouts and helps keep skin clean and clear. The other Facial Regimen Brush also from Pretika was not as good as many claimed that it stopped working after a few months (my guess is because it's cheaply made and battery operated); but the one I bought has its own charger and plugs into the wall.

Product: 4 out of 5Packaging: 5 out of 5Price: $30, 5 out of 5!Quality: 5 out of 5Overall: 4 out of 5

What they claim:

* Sonic frequency technology produces 630 rotations per minute that works with the natural elasticity of the skin to deeply and gently cleanse * Step 1 Microdermabrasion Scrub. Before use, cleanse skin with a mild, soap-free cleanser and pat dry skin. * Step 2 Hydrating Firming Complex: Dot your face in four (4) areas with Hydrating Firming Complex: forehead, cheeks, chin and nose * Step 3 Clean Applicators. After each treatment, thoroughly clean Micro-Fiber Exfoliating Bristle Applicators using hot water * The new Microdermabrasion way to rejuvenating skinSo how was my experience with it? Once you get it, charge it overnight before use. You can use it with your own facial/skin regimen products such as your current facial cleanser, etc. It's a fun little machine and has a BUILT IN TIMER and beeps every 20 seconds (4 times only) so you know how much to spend on each area of your face (cheeks, forehead, chin, nose), then automatically turns off; AND you can control 2 speeds, one for normal and sensitive skin. I really feel like it's exfoliating my skin, loosens up the natural oils and dirt on my face, revealing a smoother looking and even-toned face.

The bristles are a little rough on the face (even on the sensitive setting) and I am guessing because it's still new and hasn't 'soften' yet, or my skin is just too sensitive to the slightest things (and yes I am using super light pressure to where it's barely even touching my face). So please use it with CAUTION the first few times until you and your skin are used to it. Also, it's waterproof obviously so you CAN take it in with you to the shower (just dry the bottom charging poles at the bottom before you place it back into the charger to prolong its life). How much and where did you get it? $30 (before tax) at Rite-Aid (don't know any other actual stores you can walk-in and get it at sorry)

What does it come with? It comes with the charger, a replacement brush head, a brush head already attached to the actual device, the microdermabrasion scrub to exfoliate, and the Hydrating Firming Complex.

Where can I purchase more replacement heads? On their website www.pretika.com or you can search other distributors online.

What's cool about it? It has a built-in timer that beeps every 20 seconds (4 times only) so you know how much to spend on each area of your face (cheeks, forehead, chin, nose), then automatically turns off.

Can you take it in the shower? Yes, it's waterproof!How do you use it? Turn it on, and like any normal facial brush or sponge, rub gently in circular motions over entire face.Overall? I love this brush, and I love the price even more. It's definitely at a good price and it's great quality. My skin has never looked more radiant! I say save/use the other $165 you would have spent on the Clarisonic brush on other things (like more makeup! LOL)

OMGosh you have NO idea how happy I am that you reviewed this! I've always wanted the Clarisonic, but I'm like you - $195 is just too pricey in our unstable economy. Honestly, that money can be better spent elsewhere. But if there's a dupe out there that's cheaper & just as good, then I'm all over it! I will HAVE to go to Rite Aid to find this! Thanks again Vanessa. You rock. :)

Hey Vanessa,Thanks sooooh much for doing a review on this one. I saw this the last time I was in a Rite_aid store and was drawn to it becuase it looked so similar to Clarisonic. However, I was a little skeptical about what quality if brush I will get for $30.00 and what it will do to my skin. I did not want to spend $ 30.00 and not use the thing again. But now, I will definitely give this a try!Thnx :-)

thanks for this review!! i've been wanting the clarisonic for so long but just couldn't find it in me to pay that much for it. I'm definitely going to give this one a try. $30 is a steal...isn't a clarisonic brush head like $30!? screw that!

I love mine. I've had it for months and I use it almost everyday, sometimes twice a day. I think people's brush stopped working because they got the handle wet. It's not waterproof like the Clarsonic. Oh and my brush hasn't softened yet. Sorry. :(

I already have a Clarisonic, or I would be looking into this (my Clarisonic was a gift, so I'm not complaining ^_^).

For those who are wondering, the Clarisonic brushes are $25 for a replacement (so wait for the Sephora sale, IMO), while it looks like the replacement heads for this are 4 for $20. Yeah, that's a really good deal.

Wow. There's finally a dupe. Clarisonic's been able to get away with selling their brush at such a high price because there hasn't been much competition... It's just a giant toothbrush! I'll have to see if my local Rite Aid carries this. :D

this is a greatfind i definitely want to try it! i ahve aquestion for you that you can answer here actually, i saw you wereborn and raised in toronto, so how did you get to move to california, fr instance was it difficult to apply for a visa and such or? because i would be interested in doing so!

Just wanted to say this brand is also available at Bed Bath & Beyond and you can use the 20% off coupons they always send!!!http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/search/search.aspx?order_num=-1&sstr=pretika&dim=1&nty=1&

I am way too paranoid to use brush things to clean my face caus emy face is sooo sensitive. After every shower my face turns red and splotchy! I do wonder about these though cause a lot of people even with sensitive skin have had great results. but again, I cant dish out so much if I dont know or sure if it'll work for me! Good to know about cheaper options :)

Ugh, I am so upset that I actually spent the money for a Clarisonic. I bought it on Ebay for $168, so I got a little bit of a deal...but almost as soon as I started using it, it began to break me out.

I've always had acne prone skin, but I have been able to maintain it by sticking to a strict skin-care regimine. I thought the Clarisonic would help take care of the few small pimples I still get on occasion, along with the blackheads that show up on my nose and chin. However, as I said, I began to break out almost immediately. And I don't mean just a few little pimples here and there. I mean - huge, cystic, painful, underground breakouts that have yet to fully go away. There are still little hard bumps under my skin from where the pimples were.

Apparently I'm not the only one who has experienced this problem with the Clarisonic. Some say that it's just my skin "purging" itself, but I read a comment from a nurse/esthetician that said there's no such thing as skin purging, and that what some people were experiencing was overstimulation of the skin. So, just a warning - if you have sensitive or acne prone skin, the Clarisonic might agitate it and make your skin WORSE instead of improving it. I'm not saying it'll cause problems for everyone with sensitive skin, just proceed with caution!

A few days after I stopped using the Clarisonic, my skin was back to it's regular state, and now I'm stuck with a big hunk of expensive plastic. : (

Well the problem with the cheaper version of this product is as you mentioned - the brush is harsh. The pricier one will probably last longer, has a better brush, and a set of facial cleansers designed to go with the product to overall increase the results of clean skin. Sensitive skinned people should steer clear of abrasive brushes since you could break capillaries and cause your skin to be over exfoliated or irritated (big oops). The pricier one comes with a brush designed for sensitive skin and it is obviously a better quality overall. Honestly its up to you but for someone with sensitive skin I would like to give my best advice. Good luck ; )

Well the problem with the cheaper version of this product is as you mentioned - the brush is harsh. The pricier one will probably last longer, has a better brush, and a set of facial cleansers designed to go with the product to overall increase the results of clean skin. Sensitive skinned people should steer clear of abrasive brushes since you could break capillaries and cause your skin to be over exfoliated or irritated (big oops). The pricier one comes with a brush designed for sensitive skin and it is obviously a better quality overall. Honestly its up to you but for someone with sensitive skin I would like to give my best advice. Good luck ; )

Hi Lydia- Like I also mentioned in my post if money wasn't an issue, I would definitely try the Clarisonic brush, but there are many of us that can't pay $195 for a brush and the Pretika is just another option that people can look at. Yes it is a lot cheaper, but there are times (I believe) that more expensive isn't always best, and brushes in general are always rough during the first few uses, including toothbrushes, it's when you break them in that they may (or may not) be more comfortable. I know many people who also have sensitive skin (read previous comments above) who spent money on the Clarisionic brush and didn't get good results, instead it broke them out even more, so I think overall, when using ANY product, it's best to use caution as everything you use is trial and error.

Are you going to the Makeup Show? I'd have to look on the list of exhibitors, but I just got back from the Spa & Resort Exbo, and SCORED! I've been wanting to try the Clarisonic too, and for the same reason, haven't tried it (wasn't willing to fork over so much money). I picked up the Pro Version with 4 different heads (regular, gentile, delicate, and spot treatment) for less than half the price. Now if it would just get here so that I could try it....

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